• Arsenal manager would welcome all-Premier League semi-final
• 'It would be a good chance to show we can do it against them'

Arsène Wenger said he would welcome the chance to face Manchester United or Chelsea in the Champions League quarter‑finals, after he watched his Arsenal team book their place in the last eight with a dismantling of Porto. They won 5-0 on the night for a 6-2 aggregate victory, thanks to a hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner and outstanding contributions from Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin.

Arsenal have suffered at the hands of United and Chelsea in the Premier League this season, losing home and away to both. The home defeats were particularly demoralising and led to them seeing their title chances widely written off. Wenger has even suggested that his team have had a mental block against their principal rivals this season, which might have started when United knocked them out of the Champions League semi‑finals at the end of the last campaign. Yet he was keen to show that he would have no fear of either club were Arsenal to draw them in Europe's elite competition.

"I have a funny feeling that maybe it's good for us to play an English team," he said. "We have not done well against Chelsea and Man United this year and it would be a good chance to show we can do it against them."

When pressed on the issue, Wenger softened his stance, as though to guard against the "Bring on United and Chelsea" headlines. The Frenchman said: "What I want to say is that we do not choose Manchester United or Chelsea and maybe if I say, for example, we absolutely do not want to play an English team, I put ourselves already in an inferior position. I believe that maybe it's a good opportunity, if we do get them, to show that we can do well.

"First of all, I don't have the choice about who we draw. If I have the choice, I would say 'Yes' but I don't have the choice. If we do get them, we cannot do worse than we did in the championship. We can only do better.

"We will take the draw that we get. We do not have to make an obsession … for example, what I do not want is that we make a negative obsession of not playing against Chelsea or not playing against Manchester United. That's all."

Wenger could enjoy himself here at Emirates, after Bendtner proved his worth just three days after his horror show against Burnley in the Premier League, and his other attacking players turned on the style. "If I don't smile tonight, I will never smile," he said. "We controlled the game, we played our fluent football and our positive start with the early goals gave us the needed belief.

"Over the 90 minutes, we controlled 80. For the 10 that we didn't control, we suffered. They had a few chances at the start of the second half. But overall, we controlled the game, scored some great goals and we were good to watch. We did what we like to do. We won with style and we always went forward in a convincing way.

"At the start of the season, no one expected us to be where we are at the moment. We have mental strength, good desire and good quality but it's important that we continue to improve. There were still some weak moments that we can deal with better during the game. Before we speak about beating United or Barcelona, we have to improve. But we have a chance."

Although Bendtner took the plaudits, Wenger also praised Nasri and Arshavin. "Nasri is developing very well," the Frenchman said. "He has talent and he is starting to be efficient now. He made a great pass to Arshavin for the first goal [which Bendtner scored] and he scored a great goal himself.

"He can play in central midfield but when Cesc Fábregas is back, he will play wide. I like Arshavin, too. When he is one versus one with a player, you know that he will pass him. You need to be special to do that."

After almost four months and 14 Premier League games without a win Sunderland's bleak midwinter finally ended last night. As the thermometer dropped to freezing point it did not exactly seem like spring but Steve Bruce's suddenly relaxed body language was that of a man who has just felt the sun's warmth on his back for the first time in a very long while.

Like Bolton, who began brightly enough but faded badly, Sunderland have not yet banished relegation fears but, thanks to Darren Bent's hat-trick and Fraizer Campbell's opener, their manager now has no reason to feel trepidation when he attends a scheduled formal meeting with his boss this morning.

More than an hour before kick-off Bruce stood in the centre circle deep in conversation with Ellis Short, Sunderland's owner. Given Fabio Capello's recent experience with bugging, perhaps it was the one place the pair felt confident of not being overheard as they presumably discussed the reasons behind the team's lack of victories since beating Arsenal in November.

Small wonder then that relief was writ large across Bruce's and Short's face as Campbell's first Premier League goal gave Sunderland a 44th-second lead. When Bolton only semi-cleared Anton Ferdinand's deep cross, Lorik Cana sent another ball back into the area for Campbell to latch on to before beating Jussi Jaaskelainen courtesy of a controlled, close-range volley.

It proved the cue for the recently underwhelming Cana, Campbell and Steed Malbranque in particular to recapture their early-season spike and sparkle.

"It's been a long time, a long winter," said Bruce. "The early goal gave everyone the confidence we needed. It's been tough and I'm not just talking about the north-east weather. I just feel relieved." And his tête-à-tête with Short? "I went outside to get some fresh air and who did I bump into but the owner," added Sunderland's manager before extolling the Texan's "supportive" stance.

Fears that Bruce would require post-match consolation receded when Malbranque, excellent on the left, helped create the second goal, playing in the hitherto disappointing Cattermole who slipped a lovely ball to Bent. Surging forward, he held off a clutch of markers to shoot powerfully, right-footed, past Jaaskelainen from just inside the penalty area. It was the sort of defender-confounding finish to make you think Bent should be on England's summer flight to South Africa after all. "Darren must be in Fabio Capello's thoughts," said Bruce. "He's a natural goalscorer."

It got worse for Bolton and even better for Bent. First Sam Ricketts was sent off for a second yellow-card offence, namely the gentle shove which sent Bent tumbling, thereby conceding a slightly controversialpenalty. Next the victim dusted himself down and converted that kick before subsequently completing a first Sunderland treble by shooting his 19th goal of the season through a crowded area after playing a lovely one-two with Campbell.

Despite enjoying a fair amount of possession and forcing several set pieces, Bolton rarely threatened Craig Gordon – even if Lee Chung-yong might have done better than shoot wildly over the bar when he might have equalised.

"With conceding so early and then going down to 10 men everything conspired against us," said Owen Coyle, Bolton's manager, who thought the already booked Cana should have been sent off for a heavy, knee-high, tackle on Vladimir Weiss and disputed both the penalty award and Ricketts's red card. "I thought we were very unfortunate."

If only his team had been as feisty.

• Claims that unlicensed go-between helped set up 2005 deal
• FA investigating, with fines or even points deduction possible

The Football Association is considering whether Shaun Wright-Phillips and Chelsea could face charges for dealing with an unlicensed agent, Mitchell Thomas, when Wright-Phillips moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in July 2005. The investigation by the FA follows the outcome of a case brought by the Law Society against a solicitor, Timothy Drukker, who signed off the paperwork in the Wright‑Phillips deal but paid Thomas part of the £1.2m fee which Chelsea paid him.

If the FA does find that Thomas, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town defender, was involved in negotiating the deal, they could bring charges against Wright-Phillips and Chelsea. Penalties range from warnings to fines and even points deductions.

The Wright-Phillips transfer is the 17th deal, previously unidentified, handed over to the FA by Quest, the investigators the Premier League hired to conduct the so-called "bungs inquiry" into transfers by its clubs between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2006. Quest cleared all the other deals, but said more inquiries should be made into No17. At the time, the Wright-Phillips deal was not identified because the Law Society had begun proceedings.

They only reached their conclusion in January, with a finding by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that Drukker was guilty of "conduct unbecoming a solicitor" during the transfer and in "misleading" Quest when they made inquiries. He was fined £15,000, the tribunal having decided there was no dishonesty on his part but that Drukker's actions "had resulted in the undermining of the Fifa regulations".

Drukker himself told the tribunal he had been asked by "parties close to Shaun Wright-Phillips" to act as his agent when the details of the move to Chelsea had been agreed. Drukker was paid a fee understood to be £1.2m, did not keep any of it and paid it to others including Thomas.

The FA has been taking a strong stance against unlicensed agents in recent years, because it sees licensing as crucial to its ability to regulate the multimillion-pound flows of money in transfers. Chelsea paid City £21m for Wright-Phillips, a huge sum that summer and vital for City who were struggling financially.

Any FA charges would be brought against Wright-Phillips and Chelsea, not Thomas, since the FA cannot take action against unlicensed agents because they are operating outside football's rules. An FA spokesman said: "We are aware of the outcome of these proceedings and are considering what action, if any, may be appropriate in relation to football rules."

Chelsea and Wright-Phillips both denied that Thomas had been involved in the transfer and said that Drukker himself had conducted the negotiations. "We believe we acted appropriately at all times," a Chelsea spokesman said.

• Joe Worsley comes in for trip to Murrayfield
• Louis Deacon replaces the injured Simon Shaw

Lewis Moody has been dropped for England's Calcutta Cup game against Scotland on Saturday. The Leicester flanker, who was withdrawn after just 55 minutes of England's Six Nations defeat to Ireland last month, is replaced at openside flanker by Joe Worsley for the trip to Murrayfield.

Worsley, 32, returns to the starting XV for the first time since suffering knee ligament damage in the opening minute of England's 19-6 defeat to New Zealand in November.

England's manager Martin Johnson has made just one other enforced change to the starting XV, with Louis Deacon replacing the injured Simon Shaw in the second row.

Northampton's versatile forward Courtney Lawes comes onto a reshuffled bench which features a return for the hooker Steve Thompson and a first call-up for the uncapped Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs. The 20-year-old has replaced Paul Hodgson, who he played against on Saturday in Leicester's 35-19 Guinness Premiership victory over London Irish. Youngs' father, Nick, won six caps for England at scrum-half between 1983 and 1984.

Scotland, coached by the former England boss Andy Robinson, return to Murrayfield on the back of a defeat to Italy in Rome and chasing their first victory of the tournament.

But England have lost on each of their last two visits to Murrayfield and Saturday's game marks the 20-year anniversary of Scotland's 13-7 Grand Slam-clinching victory.

England team to play Scotland in the Six Nations at Murrayfield

Bangladesh A 202 and 362-5 dec, England 281-7 dec and 185-5
Match drawn

The one certainty about England's plans for the first Test against Bangladesh is that Kevin Pietersen will take his rightful place at the centre of things. He flopped again yesterday against a part-time spinner, but Pietersen plays. This has become a matter of faith, and England's faith remains limitless. Among the worst outcomes for Pietersen yesterday would be that Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh A's captain, would try to cheer himself up after being omitted from the Test squad with a rare spell of off-spin and that Pietersen would get out to it. That is exactly what happened.

Pietersen did hit Ashraful straight for six, and at least he was not terrorised by yet another slow left-armer, but his sequence of embarrassing failures goes on. He had made only 20 when he was bowled attempting to sweep in a game that had become little more than a glorified practice session. Perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps he was bored.

The rest is not so certain. The most likely scenario for Friday's Test is that Stuart Broad will be passed fit, Graham Onions will be ruled out because of back trouble, and Jonathan Trott will win the opening batting spot ahead of Michael Carberry in a side containing five, not six, specialist batsmen.

Things could change at any moment, of course. England selections for the sub-continent have always been more prone to last-minute chaos – most famously when Graham Gooch's hapless India tourists fell victim to rogue prawns in a Chinese restaurant 17 years ago. But take away the tendency for crustaceans to become agents of malign fate whenever an England cricket team comes to town and the picture is becoming clearer.

Broad bowled six overs in the nets at lunch and bowled another three at tea. His presence is essential for England to balance the side. He will step up his training in the 48 hours before the match, and that will mean the daunting sight of England's fitness trainer, Huw Bevan, wielding a stopwatch. If he gets through that without a recurrence of the back spasms that he has not suffered since Sunday then a five-day Test will be a breeze.

Another clear winner from England's drawn three-day affair against Bangladesh A is Middlesex's uncapped fast bowler, Steven Finn, who has made a strong case to be part of a three-strong pace attack, along with Broad and Tim Bresnan, to support the spin of Graeme Swann and James Tredwell. Finn joined the squad as cover, but England's coach, Andy Flower, was at pains to suggest that such a description can be misunderstood and that he is on an equal footing with the rest of the squad. There is no sense, it seems, of next cab off the rank. England's fast bowlers are better compared in any case to an army of tuk-tuks, all jostling for supremacy, all with inherent weaknesses and with the perpetual suspicion that an accident could be just around the corner.

"Onions tried bowling a bit today and struggled," England's coach Andy Flower said. "Broad came through really well. He is OK at the moment, but we will see how he reacts to those exertions overnight. If he is OK, he will have a harder day tomorrow and again we will see how that goes."

If Broad is unfit them the temptation to play six batsmen, a policy that served England well in the Ashes series last summer and on the subsequent tour to South Africa, will become irresistible. Only Broad batting at No7 will convince England that they have the necessary weight of batting, and even then they will take the decision reluctantly. If Broad's back suffers a relapse then Carberry will make his debut.

To play only four specialist bowlers, backed by Paul Collingwood's off-cutters and Kevin Pietersen as a third off-spinner, would be a huge gamble if the two potential fast bowlers were drawn from Broad, who would still have some fitness concerns, Finn, on debut, and Bresnan, stout-hearted, yes, but with little Test bowling pedigree. "It makes it a trickier decision without a doubt," Flower said. "These are the sort of things that make the job interesting and challenging. Sometimes selection is really simple. This time it isn't.

"Finn was very impressive over the last three games. He got off the plane the afternoon before the game started. He bowled well and has pulled up OK physically. He is young, I don't know how raw he is, but he showed a lot of skill and he has the pace and bounce that all captains are looking for."

Finn's morning figures of 6-5-5-1 came before lunch when the game was still worthy of respect, his wicket being the uprooting of Raqibul Hasan's off-stump, who had made 158 runs without being dismissed over two innings. Raqibul's efforts won him a Test spot ahead of Ashraful, whose attempts to find form in Dhaka domestic cricket have brought three ducks in four innings. Pietersen might reflect that there is always somebody worse off than you are. England then succumbed to the sort of declaration bowling that more than 20 years ago sounded the death knell for three-day championship cricket on covered pitches. Alastair Cook bowled five overs for 111, Carberry four overs for 78. It was a relief all round that this match by then had lost its first-class status.

England (probable Test 12) Cook (capt), Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior, Broad, Bresnan, Swann, Tredwell, Finn, Carberry

Bangladesh Test squad Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Aftab Ahmed, Mahmudullah, Raqibul Hasan, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Enamul Haque Jr, Shahadat Hossain.

• Swing coach arrived for work in Orlando on Sunday
• Woods likely to play Tavistock Cup on 22-23 March

The timing of Tiger Woods's comeback moved from speculative to apparently imminent yesterday when it emerged the world No1 is back working with his longtime swing coach, Hank Haney.

Reports in the US suggest that Haney, who has worked with Woods for seven years, arrived in Florida on Sunday and has spent the past few days with Woods at Isleworth, the private country club near Orlando where he has his home and has been a long-standing member.

The meeting caught most observers by surprise and added at least a degree of substance to the speculation that Woods would return to the sport at the Tavistock Cup, a made-for-TV match at Isleworth on 22‑23 March, and then compete in the PGA Tour's Bay Hill Invitational event two days later.

Nineteen days ago Woods made his first public appearance since the car crash outside his home last November which set off a chain of events that ultimately cost him deals with AT&T, Accenture and Gatorade worth an estimated $30m (£20m) a year.

During a scripted presentation at the PGA Tour's headquarters, Woods apologised to family, friends, colleagues and fans for his conduct and confirmed reports he had been receiving treatment at a rehabilitation centre for his "issues". He also appeared to suggest that his comeback was more of a longer-term ambition, saying: "I do plan to return one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out this year."

Either there has been a change of plan, or Woods and his advisers are keeping his options open by testing public opinion through a series of controlled appearances and leaks. News of his reunion with Haney first appeared in Golf Digest, which has a long-standing sponsorship deal with Woods, and is by far the strongest indication that his return will come sooner rather than later.

Within professional golf itself there has long been a belief that, whatever he said from the podium at Jacksonville on 18 February, Woods was aiming to return to competitive golf before the Masters, which starts on 8 April. "I suspect he'll play something before Augusta," Jack Nicklaus said last weekend.

Famously, Woods has set sights on surpassing Nicklaus's record of 18 major championships and with three of this year's major championships being staged at courses where he has won majors before – The Masters at Augusta, the Open Championship at the Old Course and the US Open at Pebble Beach – it was hard to imagine he would forego what will be gilt-edged opportunities to add to his total of 14 major victories. Now it seems impossible to think he will not play in both.

At the country's major Cheltenham Festival preview night Nicky Henderson's stable jockey said he fears the prize may be going the way of an Irish stable

Westmanstown Golf Club, Dublin – 3rd March 2010

Panel: Colm Murray M.C. (CM); Davy Russell (DR); Colm Murphy (MPH); Donn McLean (DM); Evan Williams (EW); Barry Geraghty (BG); Paddy Power (PP)

Supreme Novice Hurdle

CM: Rock solid Irish favourite in Dunguib. Backbone of everyone's doubles, and trebles . . .

BG: If he jumps he wins, no doubt in my mind. But that is a big 'if'. He might well struggle. Nicky Henderson is sweet on Bellvano.

DR: I don't think his jumping was so bad last time because he was out the back asleep. With this in mind the quicker they go the better for him. I think he'll be ok. Connections think he will win a big flat race. The biggest problem his young jockey will have will be holding on to him; he'll win on the bridle.

MPH: Exceptional horse – he's beaten very good horses easily. Probably two classes above everything else.

EW: Really interesting one is Oscar Whiskey. 10-1 is a fair price. How many hot favourites get beat in this race?

BG: Oscar Whiskey's a very good, unbeaten horse, but hasn't competed at the top level yet.

DM: No doubting Dunguib's ability, but not as cut and dried as the betting suggests. This is a good race and it shouldn't be odds on, and then 10-1 bar. Get Me Out Of Here was very impressive at Newbury last time. Currently rated 150, higher than last 5 winners of Supreme Novices' after the race. Blackstairmountain is also very interesting. Dunguib might win but price isn't right; should be odds against.

PP: It'll cost us well over £1 million if Dunguib wins – minimum.

Neptune Investment Hurdle

CM: We think the Irish will win thanks to Rite of Passage.

EW: He's jumping well but 3-1 is short enough. 14-1 on Quantitativeeasing is cracking value. They think the world of him.

DM: 3-1 is too short, but he is the most likely winner, very classy. Of the others, Quel Esprit and Fionnegas are appealing.

DR: I'm a big fan of Rite of Passage. Really classy sort. Peddler's Cross is very interesting though.

MPH: Again, hard to see past the favourite. I know they really fancy them, all raving about him.

BG: Finians Rainbow, I think, is the business. He's the horse I'm most looking forward to at Cheltenham. My biggest worry is Peddler's Cross. On certain pieces of form Rite of Passage has no chance. I'd put a line right through him.

PP: Rite of Passage has a massive chance, and is a strong favourite.

Willie Mullins' horse-by-horse guide

Champion trainer Willie Mullins then joins on a conference call, and runs trough a few races and horses:

Quel Esprit is one of my better ones at the festival. Stays really well and will handle any ground. At 12-1 I'd have a lot each-way.

We were delighted with Cooldine on Sunday during schooling at Leopardstown.

Dunguib is in a different league, and is very hard to beat. Blackstairmountain has a solid each-way shout.

Sports Line: the Arkle looks a cracking race, but his work on Sunday was pleasing. His style of racing will suit the race. Shakervilz is not bad value at 33's either. I'm happy with both my runners, but it's a tough race.

Secant Star's jumping may not be good enough, and that worries me.

Golden Silver is improving all the time, but I can't see us beating Master Minded.

Uimhiraceathair is good value at 20-1 for the RSA.

Jy Vole is a tough ride, and may be better going right handed so Scotsirish is better value at 33's for the Ryanair.

Cousin Vinny hasn't fired this year, and didn't take to travelling last year.

Mourad may be better in the Coral Cup.

If Shot From The Hip turns up like he did last Sunday, then he'll win the bumper.

Enterprise Park has got a great chance in the Albert Bartlett. I'm amazed that Tell Massini is favourite. Fionnegas may also run in this.

Triumph Hurdle

CM: Davy, what do you think?

DR: Nobody has any idea what will win! It's a terrible race. They're all Flat rejects. Pittoni might not run . . .

BG: Last year was a good year. This year everything is beating each other. Advisor looked ok at Ascot the other day. Soldatino will improve a stone from his last win and has a good chance.

EW: I quite like Carlito Brigante. Difficult race though; I've got Barazan and on good ground he'll be in the first four.

MPH: I have no idea!

PP: Notus De La Tour is very interesting. Imperial Cup first and then bonus hunting in this. At 16-1 he has a massive chance

DM: No strong view, hard to weigh up, and the form is all over the place.

Champion Hurdle

CM: Barry, Punjabi again?

BG: He felt good at Kempton last time. I'm not too fussed about Zaynar's Kelso defeat. I'm not sure what I'll ride yet. Go Native is the one to beat though.

DM: Go Native should be shorter; he is the most likely winner.

EW: Go Native must be seriously respected. There is a little bit of value around though and Khyber Kim appeals.

MPH: I'm a Go Native fan but Solwhit has real guts and only ever does enough. Punjabi has been there and done it. It's pretty wide open to be fair.

PP: Good race for us, open. Go Native maybe should be shorter but the betting is pretty much right.

DR: Stable form at Charles Byrne's isn't a worry for me. If Celestial Halo gets an easy lead he could be very dangerous. Solwhit is quality but the lack of course form is a worry. It's a hell of a good race.

World Hurdle

CM: Sentry Duty Barry?

BG: Good each-way chance but then again Big Bucks is buying money at 8-13. Different class.

DR: 110% Big Bucks will win. War of Attrition each-way is good fun and he's flying at home.

EW: Big Bucks has so much in hand. Not for me at the price though. Maybe Katchit each-way? Karabak could really hustle up the favourite.

MPH: Case of what will finish second behind Big Bucks. Maybe War of Attrition, maybe Sentry Duty.

DM: Of all the odds-on shots Big Bucks is the most solid. The race lends itself to multiple winners. Tidal Bay could run him close though.

PP: Big Bucks is featuring in all trebles we're taking. He's going to be very hard, if not impossible, to beat.

Arkle Chase

Barry Geraghty has left the panel but has asked the MC to give his opinions on some of the races. His seat has been filled by Peter Daly (PD), who is involved in the ownership of lading Arkle fancy, Sports Line.

CM: We (the Irish) look to have a strong hand here . . .

EW: I really like Somersby a lot. His jumping is perfect. There is plenty of class in the race but Somersby should go very close.

DM: Hell of a race. It has class oozing out of it. Captain Cee Bee should probably win and 7-2 is about right. I respect Somersby but am worried about his Sandown (Henry VIII) form.

DR: Captain Cee Bee shouldn't be far away. Can't have Sizing Europe, not sure over Somersby, or Tataniano. Keep it simple and stick with Captain Cee Bee.

MPH: I'm a Captain Cee Bee fan. He's done nothing wrong really, apart from falling!

PD: Our horse (Sports Line) is in great form. He schooled really well on Sunday, all is going well, and we are very optimistic. It's a big ask for him though with just two chase starts under his belt.

PP: Sports Line best backed in recent days. Captain Cee Bee is very solid though.

RSA Chase

CM: BG gives a big thumbs up to Punchestowns for this one.

PP: He drifted the other day but has tightened back up now.

MPH: Punchestowns looks the real deal. Weapons Amnesty will be better on good ground.

DR: Weapons Amnesty is a good horse, but a slow learner. He takes his time to figure out what's happening. Wouldn't have the class though I don't think. If Long Run can win this as a five-year-old then fair play as it's a huge ask. I'm happy enough with Weapons Amnesty though I suppose.

DM: Long Run doesn't jump well enough. The Feltham is a terrible guide to this race too. Weapons Amnesty is solid and I'd have him on my side, along with Weird Al, my two against the field.

EW: Nicky Henderson will win it! Reverse forecast the pair. When he says they're the best he's trained then sit up and take notice. Bensalem each-way.

Queen Mother Champion Chase

CM: Big Zeb then Colm?

MPH: We're very happy, wished we'd never gone to Tingle Creek but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I like to think we'll run a big race but Master Minded is Master Minded. Jockey booking is up in the air at present.

DM: It's going to be hard to get Master Minded beat, but not impossible. He's a remarkable horse but how good is he? Big Zeb is over priced, Forpadydeplasterer isn't out of it either.

EW: Kalahari King's last win at Doncaster was sensational. I really think he could win it. A clear round for Big Zeb gives him a massive chance too.

PP: This race could easily cut up so maybe now is the best time to bet. Could get just 6 or 7 runners. Going to be very hard to beat Master Minded. I'd love to see Big Zeb win.

DR: Master Minded is beatable, vulnerable off the bridle. Kalahari King has a squeak but this looks wide open. Twist Magic has no chance.

PD: I have my doubts over Master Minded and I like Kalahari King instead.

Gold Cup

CM: Kauto Star, one of the greats.

EW: Absolute super star lets hope he goes there and wins. Cooldine to be second. Kauto Star by ten lengths.

DM: Superstar. Not a bet for me though at odds-on. Imperial Commander is 12-1 why? Big Price. Couldn't have confidence in Denman. Calgary Bay without the 'big two'.

DR: My head says Kauto Star but my heart says Denman. Denman hasn't become a bad horse overnight, he knows how to beat Kauto Star. Get Sam Thomas back on board though. Tricky Trickster at a nice each-way price.

MPH: No doubt for me, Kauto Star. What finishes second? Denman probably. Cooldine is a serious each-way bet though.

PP: Cooldine and Imperial Commander dominate the 'without big two' market but I hope Kauto Star wins.

Champion Bumper

CM: Davy, what about Tavern Times?

DR: Lovely horse, slight worry though that he's only had one run. He worked well the other day and is in good nick but I'd of liked another start under his belt. Shot From The Hip was impressive on Sunday but that looked a very tough race. Sorting Willie Mullins' runners out isn't easy and you've got to respect Dermot Weld – but Hidden Universe will not win!

DM: Elegant Concord is the best of Weld's runners but it's not a betting race for me. That said, Drumbaloo could be interesting at a half decent price.

EW: Ignore all the English runners! Shot From The Hip for me but wait till the day and follow the market!

MPH: Great betting race but this year looks very tough. Elegant Concord at a push.

PP: DM has it right, Drumbaloo is the one. Strong form and a very decent price (16-1). I'm not convinced by the Paul Nicholls-trained Al Ferof and I've heard negative things coming from the yard.

Panel's naps

DM: Imperial Commander each-way – Gold Cup

DR: Peddlers Cross – Neptune Investment Hurdle

EW: Punchestowns/Long Run reverse forecast – RSA Chase

PP: Drumbaloo – Champion Bumper

BG: Finians Rainbow – Neptune Investment Hurdle

You can read similar reports from other Festival preview evenings by subscribing to the service here provided by Weatherbys at a cost of £9.95.

Stade are struggling in seventh place in the Top 14 as the fixtures and the sub-plots come thick and fast

The Guinness Premiership and the Magners League pause for breath as the Six Nations resumes this weekend. Not so the Top 14, where round 22 of the club championship overlaps stage four of France's grand slam, against Italy.

Stade Français are by now accustomed to doing without their internationals, or at least James Haskell, but the 29-0 defeat by Toulouse at the Stade de France will have left a bitter taste in their mouth. Presumably that was all part of the plan when Martin Johnson, the manager of England, refused to allow the back-row forward to return to Paris at the weekend.

It wouldn't be the first time rugby folk from other countries have run into the brick wall of England's mightiest:

"Martin, would you mind moving for the Irish president?"

"Yes."

"Grand. This way, please."

"Yes, I'd mind moving."

That was when he was captain. It seems little has changed now he's a manager:

"Monsieur Martin, would you mind sending James back to Paris?"

"Yes."

"Is that yes a non?"

"Oui."

Stade are struggling in seventh place in the Top 14, with places in the play-offs for the top six. An away game next in Brive is not exactly designed to calm the nerves, although Brive will be without a qualified Englishman of their own, Riki Flutey. It's all part of the congestion of fixtures and sub-plots at this stage of the club season.

Even Toulouse had to pay a price in their emphatic away victory in Paris, Frédéric Michalak's season coming to an abrupt halt with a knee injury. Clermont, too, suffered as they beat Perpignan, with arguably the best all-round team in Europe losing Martín Scelzo, one of their ferocious Argentinian front-row forwards, with a broken hand. The Leinster scrummagers, due to face Clermont in the Heineken Cup quarter-final in April, will not be distressed.

Were it not for the international incident, there would nevertheless be a certain serenity to the French league, if only because their relegation battle lacks the rabidity of the dogfight in England. Albi are doomed and Montauban have dropped into the second slot for the chop, thanks to their defeat at Bourgoin and fellow strugglers Bayonne beating Albi.

Bayonne's cause is helped by a healthy tally of 11 bonus points, compared with Montauban's five, and the measly two for the two teams above them, Bourgoin and Montpellier.

Worcester's precious point

On such little accumulations might survival depend across the continent. Worcester, for example, had every reason to temper their disappointment at losing at Harlequins with the satisfaction of taking the bonus point that keeps them a couple of points above Sale, now the bottom club. It's an agonising business, trying to the very last bead of sweat to extract something from every game. This is dentistry without the anaesthetic.

The basement Blues

Even in the Magners, never previously associated with overly dramatic conclusions at the bottom, the Welsh regions now have to wrestle with the reality that the lowliest of their number in the final table will not qualify for the Heineken Cup. Not unless the Ospreys win the thing.

With three Welsh teams in the bottom five, there is an urgency to the run-in for the Scarlets and the Blues in particular, with the Blues looking the more vulnerable in terms of momentum and confidence. The way they managed the closing minutes against Leinster did not suggest they are at ease with this basement-battle stuff.

And at the top there is a rare old thing in the Magners, called a ding-dong for the play-offs. Munster are fifth, three points behind Glasgow and only one point ahead of the Dragons, who beat them in the last round. Leinster, Edinburgh, the Ospreys and Glasgow at the top are separated by all of one point.

Wasps suddenly in the mix

Finally, at the top of the Guinness Premiership it was plain sailing for four clubs for much of the autumn and winter, with Saracens unbeatable in their own peculiar way, pursued by London Irish, Leicester, and Northampton. Now, however, the two Exile clubs (London Irish for the Irish plus others, and Saracens more exclusively for South Africans) are wobbling, and Wasps, more adept at these late surges than any other team in any other league, have popped into the mix.

The closing weeks for everyone bar the tiniest handful caught in mid-table limbo will be riveting. But whether the various issues will be settled on good surfaces is doubtful. The cold winter has taken its toll on the pitches of the lands, with Headingley in Leeds and Edgeley Park in Stockport looking particularly brown.

Sharing a stadium might be hard on the grass, although it must be said that Wembley and the Millennium Stadium, much less used, have cut up too. Even Murrayfield, once the billiard table of surfaces, looks a little threadbare. Is it Mother Nature or have the groundsmen's budgets, like their swards, been trimmed a little too hard?

Elsewhere on guardian.co.uk

Lewis Moody dropped from England team to play Scotland

Nick De Luca recalled by Scotland for Calcutta Cup clash with England

It promises to be a bitchy run-in to the season and we should all be grateful

With a sense of decorum that perhaps only a league without relegation can manage, Connacht have announced a change of coach, with Eric Elwood taking over from Michael Bradley at the end of the season. The assistant, that is, will take over from the head coach, who announced his intention to move on last November.

If there has been any disquiet in the bottom-placed team of the Magners League they are doing their best to disguise it. There was nothing dejected about the performance of the Connacht forwards in the last round at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, where they came within two points of upsetting the Ospreys, the league leaders.

In leagues with relegation it is a time to be worried if you are propping up the rest. I see that Eric Béchu at Albi, last in France's Top 14, is under pressure from his players, a sort of squeeze from below, that is always going to make a club president – Bernard Archilla in Albi's case – apply a little more from above.

Brian Kennedy, benefactor of Sale, was prompted to return early from his skiing holiday, which no doubt concentrated the mind of Kingsley Jones – just in case the coach was not fully aware of their club's slide towards the torture chamber in the Guinness Premiership dungeon. It might be argued that the alarm bell might have gone off less deafeningly if Kennedy had stayed on the slopes and expressed his concern merely by steering clear of any black-run precipices, but who's to tell a club owner what to do? It's his baby and he can worry for it in any way he pleases.

With Neil Back positively revelling in the challenge of securing survival for Leeds, and with Worcester, past masters of the timely escape, beating Newcastle in the last round, it is going to be a grippingly familiar tale in England as the season enters the last two months of the regular season.

Of course, it does not guarantee that the rugby in this tear-jerking struggle is going to be blessed with a lightness of touch. Which has already been wheeled out as an excuse for England's style in the Six Nations, although joining up Leeds' performance at Sale and the depth from which Jonny Wilkinson of Toulon directs the England three-quarters at Twickenham requires something of a quantum leap of strategic appreciation.

The connection has been made, however, and the eight-year agreement – signed, it seems, only yesterday – between the clubs and the Rugby Football Union is already, by some accounts, not worth the paper it is written on. We can blame the recession, Martin Johnson, Max Guazzini of Stade Français, the Gulf Stream, Poland and the grey squirrel, but perhaps it should be borne in mind that whenever Simon Shaw goes off with a crocked shoulder during a Test match, Wasps are never going to be benign onlookers.

In a portfolio career for somebody like England's second row there are several competing employers and the notion of shared aims and co-operation is fanciful. And eight years? If anyone had asked the shakers and movers of rugby in 2002 what rugby would be like in 2010 the only promise would have been that nobody in the studiously professional age of now would ever dream of pinching a golf buggy and driving down the M4 for some munchies at dawn.

Still, that is not England's problem. They confine themselves to whispers from one of those dreaded figures known as an RFU hawk: "The Premiership is not sustainable. They're haemorrhaging money and at some stage one or two of them are going to go bust." Imagine if you will a tone not of sorrow but barely concealed glee.

On the clubs' side, the chief executive of Premier Rugby, Mark McCafferty, observed: "Relegation has been held up as a factor behind England's style of play, but there is no relegation in the Six Nations."

It promises to be a thoroughly bitchy run-in to the end of the season and for that we should all be grateful.

This is an excerpt from The Breakdown, guardian.co.uk's twice-weekly free email during the Six Nations. Sign up now!

The pod squad is suited and booted for your brand new Football Weekly.

We start with the FA Cup, where Harry Redknapp could be set for another encounter with Portsmouth, and Aston Villa came from behind against Reading to set up a semi-final with Chelsea – for whom John Terry was the perfect gentleman in his victory celebration and post-match interview. Barry Glendenning gives his thoughts.

James Richardson looks ahead to Milan's trip to Manchester United in the Champions League, and Sean Ingle remembers that Liverpool are still involved in Europe (and Fulham and Juventus too, for that matter).

Sid Lowe tells us about a dramatic weekend in Spain, where Real Madrid went ahead of Barcelona in La Liga for the first time in three months.

Finally, John Ashdown regales us with tales from the Championship, where it is Newcastle United's title to lose. That said, stranger things have happened, especially to the Magpies. Good job they've got Spiderman playing on the wing.

Have a listen and post your feedback below. We're also on iTunes, Facebook and Twitter, and if you enjoy this type of thing, get your daily dose of fooball with our tea-time email, The Fiver.

If West Bromwich Albion go on to win automatic promotion, it is entirely possible that this win, only their second in their last seven matches, will prove to have been the most important of the season.

Heavy-legged and lacking in ideasfor the best part of an hour, Roberto Di Matteo's team summoned up a burst of energy and inspiration that culminated in Robert Koren's beautifully struck 25-yard winner, and revitalised their flagging campaign.

"We made a number of chances after the break, but we probably needed a strike like that to win the game," said Di Matteo, who defended his decision to start with Koren, the Slovenia captain, on the bench. "We were a little bit nervous and edgy in the first half, but we stayed patient. The table still looks very tight, though – everybody's fighting for something."

The chances in an appalling first half could be numbered on the fingers of one hand, and neither goalkeeper had to make a save. The best efforts came from Albion's Chris Brunt, who scissor-kicked a volley a couple of feet wide against his former club, and Wednesday's Jermaine Johnson, who robbed Marek Cech but saw his ambitious attempt to chip the Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson drift over the bar.

Albion finally put Lee Grant to the test when Jonas Olsson met Graham Dorrans's cross with a downward header that the Wednesday goalkeeper reacted sharply to block. The substitute Ishmael Miller, whose introduction had given the Baggies some much-needed physical presence up front, and James Morrison, also saw headers well saved, and Dorrans a thumping 30-yard drive tipped over the bar. Just when it seemed the Owls might hang on, however, a move begun by Albion deep in their own half ended in Koren driving a diagonal shot beyond Grant.

"I felt we were coping with the pressure, but there was a moment of brilliance from a top-quality player in this division," said the Wednesday manager, Alan Irvine, whose side have won once in five attempts in the league. "I'm not too concerned about being in the bottom three at this stage. If we can win five more games, we'll be fine."

• Forward says Real Madrid can overturn Lyon deficit
• 'At the Bernabéu, Madrid are the boss' says Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo believes that the task ahead of his team tomorrow night is simple: to show Lyon that they are Real Madrid. That, though, could be precisely the problem and they need to be careful how they approach the game. Madrid are synonymous with the European Cup but their recent record has been disastrous, eliminated at the first knockout phase for five consecutive years. Tomorrow they must overcome a 1-0 deficit to prevent it being six and then reach the final in their own stadium. The pressure is intense.

Or at least it should be. For Madrid, this season is defined by the Champions League, even more than ever before. And yet there are few signs of nerves. Instead there is bullishness. Madrid may be without the suspended Xabi Alonso and Marcelo, they may have underestimated their opponents in the first leg and they may have been fortunate to depart the Stade Gerland having only been beaten 1-0 but there is strikingly little fear. The prevailing mood is that Lyon are just not that good. And Madrid are.

Once bitten twice shy is not the prevalent mood in the Spanish capital. Madrid are ready to bite Lyon back. Only the coach, Manuel Pellegrini, appears to be counselling caution. "We now know Lyon are a good side but we're at home and I am confident that we will go through," Ronaldo said. "At the Bernabéu, Madrid are the boss. It would be a huge disappointment to go out but I'm sure we will progress. We have to go out there with the intention of scoring lots of goals and be as offensive as possible – but that depends on Pellegrini."

The defender Sergio Ramos was predicting a 3-0 scoreline. "We're going to live another magical night at the Bernabéu," he said. His reference points were clear. At the weekend, Madrid came back from two down to defeat Sevilla 3-2 and move to the top of La Liga. And comebacks – remontadas – form part of their history. In 1984, Madrid defeated Anderlecht 6-1 having lost the first leg 3-0. The following year, they turned round a 5-1 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach then knocked out Inter despite losing 3-1 away, the winger Juanito adopting cod-Italian to warn his opponents that 90 minutes in the Bernabéu is a long time.

Tomorrow night's match has been billed as a continuation of that tradition, another chapter in the legend. Lyon will face "an inferno", ran one headline. "The spirit of Juanito has returned," declared another. Madrid will tear into them. The stage appears to be set for drama and goals – and lots of them. If Lyon were to score, there would need to be: Madrid would find themselves obliged to score three.

But if there is a bullishness about the players, the coach is different. Pellegrini, whose Villarreal side reached the semi-final in 2006 almost by stealth, tonight hinted that he was more convinced of the need to prevent Lyon from getting the away goal that would complicate the tie than to blitz them into submission. "We're not going to find an easy opponent in the Champions league and we need to play well to go through" he said. "But nor do we need to embark upon an epic comeback."

• Capello conversations secretly recorded before Egypt game
• Football Association warns media not to make them public

The Football Association has moved to stop the contents of bugged conversations between players and coaching staff becoming public after a recording was offered to media outlets.

Conversations between the England coach, Fabio Capello, and the squad are understood to have been secretly recorded ahead of last week's friendly against Egypt. The FA has launched an investigation into how they were made and warned newspapers and broadcasters not to make them public.

The incident is the latest blow to hit Capello's World Cup build up, in the wake of the media frenzy that surrounded John Terry's alleged affair with the ex-girlfriend of his international team-mate Wayne Bridge.

The recording, believed to be several hours long, is alleged to contain conversations between coaching staff and players at the Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire ahead of the 3-1 victory over Egypt at Wembley last Wednesday.

Although they have not officially commented, the FA's lawyers have contacted media organisations warning that publication of the contents of the recording would be illegal and a breach of the Data Protection Act and Press Complaints Commission rules.

Section 10 of the PCC code states: "The press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or clandestine listening devices; or by intercepting private or mobile telephone calls, messages or emails; or by the unauthorised removal of documents or photographs; or by accessing digitally held private information without consent."

It is understood that the FA's lawyers have also been in touch with the Daily Star, which hinted at the content of the conversations but did not reproduce them, in order to try to ascertain who was offering the recordings for sale and how they were made.

It has been suggested that the content of the tapes could give away Capello's tactical secrets but it is likely that whoever is responsible was hoping for more blockbuster revelations about the England players' private lives or evidence of the effect of the Terry story on the mood within the camp.

It is understood that the recordings were offered to several Sunday newspapers, which turned them down. Capello is believed to be concerned about the breach but the FA is confident that tight security around the England team at their remote Rustenburg training camp at this summer's World Cup will prevent a repeat.

• Dutch winger admits morale is low at Anfield
• 'We can't create a kind of confidence with winning games'

Ryan Babel has admitted Liverpool's confidence is at such a low ebb that they were lacking in self-belief prior to their defeat at Wigan Athletic.

Liverpool had hauled themselves back into contention for the fourth Champions League qualifying place with a run of only one defeat in 10 league games before the trip to the DW Stadium yesterday. Their subsequent performance and first ever league defeat against Wigan prompted rare public criticism from the manager Rafael Benítez towards his players, who he accused of having the wrong attitude and showing a lack of character in the first half of the game.

Babel suggests Liverpool's problems are more deep-rooted, however, with the frank admission their hard-fought recovery in the Premier League could not remedy fragile confidence in a season of frequent set-backs. "It is disappointing that we can't create a kind of confidence with winning games. One defeat seems to spoil all the confidence that we have and then we have to start again," said the Dutch international.

Liverpool remain in sixth following yesterday's defeat and only one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, although Spurs, Manchester City and Aston Villa all have games in hand in the congested race for Champions League qualification.

Babel added: "We still have hope and faith that we can get fourth place. It will be harder in every game. It was going to be difficult even before this game. We needed to get three points and that's why the disappointment is so big that we failed.

"We will analyse everything. We have made it a little difficult for ourselves. We had space in the first half to play football but then they scored and it upset things. They stayed behind the ball and it was hard for us."

Roberto Martínez, the Wigan manager, admitted his tactics had succeeded in producing a frustrated reaction from Liverpool at the DW Stadium, where they collected five bookings. The Spaniard said: "You have to give us credit. We caused them to be frustrated. They couldn't find a way through and there was a frustrated reaction from Liverpool, but that was down to the work ethic and understanding between the Wigan Athletic players."

Liverpool travel to France on Thursday ahead of the Europa League last-16 first-leg tie against Lille, who are fifth in Ligue 1, and Babel admits Benítez's team must produce an immediate reaction to the Wigan defeat. "We have got an important game on Thursday and we have to be ready for that. We can't be disappointed too long."

• Next year's season ticket money 'ring-fenced and safe'
• Uefa likely to prevent any Europa League appearance

The administrators running Portsmouth have revealed that the club is still paying out £4m a month in wages but promised fans that any revenue collected for next year's season tickets will be placed in a ring-fenced account.

The joint administrator Michael Kiely, of UHY Hacker Young, said money will not be used to meet ongoing costs and will be returned in the event that the club goes to the wall.

It also emerged yesterday that Portsmouth are unlikely to be able to enter the Europa League next season if they win the FA Cup because they have not applied for a Uefa club licence. Given Pompey's financial situation, it is unlikely they would qualify for one in any case.

Portsmouth have debts estimated at £70m-£80m and still owe £8m to other clubs in transfer instalments, Kiely told a meeting of fans on Saturday. According to the minutes of the meeting, he reiterated to the representatives of the various groups present that the administrators are "completely independent" of the club's owner, Balram Chainrai, and his company Portpin. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has queried the links between the administrator and Chainrai, after it emerged that they shared a solicitor in Balsara & Co.

According to the minutes, the administrators had "no previous dealings with Balram Chainrai until two weeks ago, when [Kiely] received a call while on a skiing holiday about this matter".

In response to questions from supporters, Kiely said the administrators were confident that they could satisfy the queries of the Revenue when the case returns to the high court next week.

Redundancies among the club's workforce will not be announced until the case is settled. The Premier League has also ruled that all arguments about whether the club should be allowed to sell players outside the transfer window, or whether they should be docked the requisite nine points for going to administration, will not be dealt with until after the case.

Kiely also revealed that Mark Jacob, the former executive director employed to run the club under the former owner Ali al-Faraj and Chainrai, was continuing to work for the club despite no longer being paid. He previously worked as a solicitor for Fuglers, where the club's client account was held, but the company said last month he had "ceased to be employed" by it.

"Mark Jacob is not on the payroll of Portsmouth FC. However, it is believed his experience can add value to the administration process, although he is effectively doing that for free and not with Portsmouth FC's money," said the minutes.

Kiely admitted the administrators had yet to fully go over the accounts but promised a "forensic examination" of Portsmouth's tortuous ownership saga, even if a quick sale was agreed.

• South Africa midfielder also fined £1,000 for offence
• Pienaar found to be nearly twice legal limit after breath test

The Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar was today banned from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving, a court official confirmed.

Pienaar was also fined £1,000 for the offence and ordered to pay a further £100 fine for failing to comply with a traffic signal.

The South Africa international was found to be nearly twice the legal limit after he was breath-tested by police in Liverpool. He was originally listed to appear at Liverpool magistrates court today but his decision to plead guilty meant he was dealt with yesterday.

The 27-year-old was pulled over by police in the early hours of Sunday 21 February, the day after Everton's 3-1 win over Manchester United at Goodison Park. Merseyside police found the player had 61 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

His year-long driving disqualification could be reduced by three months if he completes a course before 7 October.

A collection order for payment was made and Pienaar was ordered to pay a total of £100 in costs to cover both the charges brought against him, the court official said.

He arrived at the Merseyside club on loan in the summer of 2007, and his move from Borussia Dortmund was later made permanent when Everton paid £2m for him.

Everton Football Club declined to comment.

This week's round-up features an FA Cup classic, Kriss Akabusi in the shower and the most ludicrous own goal you will ever see

1) With the FA Cup back on the agenda this weekend we got to thinking of classic quarter-final moments and Tottenham fans will remember few more fondly than David Ginola's silky weave in from the touchline to score against Barnsley in 1999. And now that we're reminiscing about Ginola, here he is letting Leeds have it with a magnificent volley (he almost scored an even better goal in the same game) and making mugs of Ferencvaros. Oh, and here he is getting naked.

2) After Australia had batted superbly to match New Zealand's score of 214 in their Twenty20 international last week, fast bowler Shaun Tait fell apart in the super over tie-breaker.

3) Frank Warren has secured Kevin Mitchell a WBO lightweight title-fight against Michael Katsidis on 8 May. Let's hope the fight can live up to the standards set the last time the Australian visited London.

4) At the NFL's annual Scouting Combine, TV anchor Rich Eisen takes on the nation's best college graduates in the 40-yard dash.

5) Combat-Ki expert Kirby Roy takes a world record kick to the testicles from MMA fighter Justice Smith - in the name of scientific inquiry. Other notable studies by Fox's Sports Science series include getting Padraig Harrington to try a 'Happy Gilmore' swing (more successful than you might think) and finding out whether men or women punch harder.

Our favourites from last week's blog

1) Brett Lee: fast bowler, lower-order batsman, pop star. The former Sweden manager Lars Lagerbäck, on the other hand, may not have the voice, but he does have the music video

2) Feyenoord's Georginio Wijnaldum didn't score at the end of his mazy run against ADO Den Haag, but he did manage to injure three opponents without fouling any of them - or even touching two of them.

3) Gaël Monfils dispels the popular myth that it's easier to play tennis shots with at least one of your feet touching the ground.

4) The most ludicrous own goal you will ever see.

5) Ever wonder how long Kriss Akabusi takes in the shower? Well, now you know.

Spotters' badges: Dappertutto, hemeantthatalright, Yassassin, BestNotMiss, siimon

Your surefire route to a lie-in every morning

You get bored at work, we get bored at work; the difference is, we don't get sacked for playing these games. Not yet, anyway.

Collected below are some of our favourite games on t'internet, so get stuck in and putt, kick, or skate your way to the JobCentre.

If you know something we don't, send a link to your favourite online (sports) game headlined The greatest games ever ... to sports.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk (with a few lines telling us why it's so good) and we'll add them to our list - vigorous quality control guaranteed, reader.

Our latest finds

Basketball: Not got the required inches to be a master of the hoops? Well, now you don't need to. This little gem of a game tests your prowess at judging height and distance and gives you a new area of the court to shoot from with every shot you take. You can also see how you rank against other work-shy competitors around the globe. Simple and very addictive. P45 rating ***

Zombie Football: Hot on the heels of the popular Zombe Cricket comes its footballing brother. There's a little more to it - angles and movement - and you can pick your Premier League side. Frighteningly good.

RBS Drop Kick: Just in time for the Six Nations. Watch for the scrum half's signal, catch his pass and ping the ball between the posts. Not as easy as it sounds. P45 rating **

The Hand of Henry: This game is all in French but it's easy enough to work out how to 'jouer'. The graphics are basic but it's fun to play. My score: France 31-1 Ireland. Pretty handy.
P45 rating **

And the full catalogue...

CRICKET

Ashes Desktop Challenge: Not a million miles away from the tabletop childhood game of yore Test Match Cricket. Addictive but ultimately quite frustrating, much like the Ashes then.
P45 rating ****

Test Catch Cricket: Pretty tricky to get the hang of, then hours of fun. And rather addictive, if only for the rare pleasure of taking a one-handed catch at full-stretch. And then keeping the mouse moving for added flamboyance.
P45 rating: ***

Little Master Cricket: One of our favourites. Ever. The very best internet games share the same characteristics - they're simple and they're fiendishley addictive. We're grateful to Mark Jones for suggesting this little beauty. "Try to beat my high score of 366," he says, "either in a Pietersen like smashathon, or in an Boycott-type forward defensive inspired resolute innings." Our best? A hard-hitting 107 after 45 minutes determined effort.
P45 rating: ****

Battrick: "The Barmy Army is all over the game," so 'Shailes' tells us. Manage a cricket team against others from across the globe in First Class, 50- and 20-over competitions, as well as buying, selling, and ground-developing. Like the football version, Hat-trick, which you can find below, you've got to be in for the long haul on this one.
P45 Rating ****

Stick Cricket: Takes a while to get the knack of, but worth the effort for the first time you knock Dennis Lillee out of the ground.
P45 rating: ****

Slog Cricket: You are the bat! Pretty simple. Until it gets quite hard.
P45 rating: ***

Ashes2Ashes zombie cricket: This game has entertaining graphics as Ricky Ponting-lookalike zombies limp towards the batsman whenever he fails to crack a six. But the dimensions are not quite right, making it really tricky to judge when to hit the ball. Or maybe we're just bad at cricket.
P45 rating ***

FOOTBALL

Gaelic Football Challenge: Take on a quick seven-a-side game, or register for the All-Ireland Championship mode for a more immersive experience. Shades of Sensible Soccer give this decent playability, though you may need some serious interest in Gaelic Football to get the most out of it.
P45 rating ***

Jumpers for Goalposts: Start from the bottom and work your way up, gaining contracts, international honours and, most importantly, girls along the way. Surprisingly addictive for an abstract football-based RPG.
P45 Rating ****

Goal Street: Have you ever tried to breakdance and strike a ball at the same time? Get down with a load of no good punk kids in this street football game that frankly makes it all a bit too easy.
P45 Rating ***

Bumperball: "It's football, but in bumper cars, on an ice rink," writes Nathan Jones. "What is there not to love?" Erm ...
P45 rating: ***

Football Agent: Buy! Sell! Be the Mr 10% and rake in enough cash to buy a mansion. Tough, but in a good way
P45 rating: ****

Roby Baggio's Free-Kick Game: An old classic. We've found the trick is swinging the ball in Bolton-style for the onrushing centre-forward, rather than going for spectacular Baggioesque finishes.
P45 rating: ***

Super Soccer: Finally a football game which doesn't involve posing as a faded star playing keepy-uppy. Sadly, despite reading the instructions three times, we're rubbish at it. Hours must be spent perfecting our skills, clearly.
P45 rating: ***

Hat-trick: This is a slow burner - register your team, develop your youth squad, make transfers, all in aid of winning the 16 week league. Could cut your working day by hours.
P45 rating: ****

Volley Challenge 07/08: Pick your team, play a season, and make your striker hump the ball over the crossbar. Over and over again.
P45 rating: ***

Free-kick Fusion: As suggested by Zach Parrott: "This game ruined my summer job during WC 2006. It's amazing because you compulsively seek a higher and higher score. You're only inches away from the next level each time!"
P45 rating: **

RUGBY

Flick n Kick rugby: A peculiar little game, this is a combination of digital Subbuteo and rugby. Of course, it's so obvious. Pick up points for avoiding tackles, collecting power-ups (if you're playing Wales you can turn into a dragon, no less), and of course scoring tries and conversions. Won't get you the sack, but will amuse for a few minutes.
P45 rating: **

Game of 3 Halves: A kind of Sensible Rugby, but with three of your fellas taking on an entire team of opposition. And a streaker. And a sheep.
P45 rating: ***

GOLF

Lumix World Golf: Travel the world, see the sights ... play crazy golf. Negotiate courses based around Easter Island, Sydney harbour, and the Big Apple, among others, all with just your putter and a keen appreciation of angles.
P45 rating: ****

Office Minigolf: "That's the game that you really play in the office - for sure after your colleagues have gone," chuckles someone called simply 'Joe', before adding: "nice dice". We're not sure what he means but this is a quirky, very playable effort.
P45 rating: ***

Cat with a bow golf: Ah, golf. Funny trousers, silly terminology and a cat firing itself at a target with a bow and arrow. A good walk ruined.
P45 rating: ****

Golf Drive: Apparently it's a "relaxing game of golf the prehistoric way". Very tricky, but very nice graphics and takes a bit of thought.
P45 rating: ****

Mini Putt 2: The graphics on this aren't as good as Electrotank, but the gameplay is better. We suggest organising an office championship (our best score is 33, by the way)
P45 rating: *****

Crazy Golf: See if you can resist the temptation to give it a whack and hope for the best.
P45 rating: ***

Driving Mad: Driving in the Tiger Woods sense, not Kimi Raikkonen, this is another game which sets you simple targets and even tells you you're great when you're not [like us]. Bonus points for taking down the odd pigeon, too.
P45 rating: ***

Pandaf Golf: Slightly insane, very annoying sound effects, but rather addictive all the same. "This one is a definite candidate for rapid P45 delivery. Once you have finished the 100 or so levels you can make up your own layouts!" squeals Mark Bermingham, probably clapping his hands, too.
P45 rating: ****

Line Golfer: As much Tony Hart as it is Tony Jacklin, you can design your own course using virtual crayons (the dafter and more complex the better), set your own par, play other people's courses and – you never know – you might even make the leader board. It's unlikely though. Courses designed in the shape of appendages will be frowned upon.
P45 Rating ***

World Golf Tour: Very impressive graphics for a free online game and pretty playable too. "This one cost me a pay rise last year," writes Neil McCallum. "A quick nine without the boss noticing is as much a challenge as the game itself."
P45 rating: ****

Galactic Gravity Golf: Based on the admittedly flimsy premise that golf in space would be made more difficult by planets' gravitation pull it proves fiendishly addictive if a little unrealistic.
P45 rating ***

Tiger Woods Outrun: Imagine you're a golfer being chased by a golf club-wielding blonde and you must avoid a series of obstacles including trees and fire hydrants. It would never happen in the real world, of course, but it's fun to pretend. P45 rating ***

TENNIS

Table Tennis: Rob Bentham reckons "it's really addictive, and sounds great as well". We reckon it might be a little infuriating.
P45 rating: If self-confessed temp Rob is anything to go by, ****

Tennis Ace: "I think this is the best tennis game - it has a practice option and three levels of difficulty too. Nice umpiring too!" says Bryan Coleman. Be warned, you'll be a lot better in training than in the match ...
P45 rating: ***

Rong: It's ping-pong Jim, but not as we know it. Rather ridiculously addictive
P45 rating: *****

The Optus tennis challenge: Keepy-uppy with a tennis ball, essentially - but pity the poor souls with time enough on their hands to notch up high scores of close to 2000.
P45 rating: ***

BOWLING

League Bowling: Enjoyably retro.
P45 rating: ***

Super Bowling: Ego-boostingly simple to play. Get that swerve on
P45 rating: ****

WINTER SPORTS

Horace goes skiing: Not big or particularly clever, but it's a trip down memory lane for anyone who once owned a ZX81.
P45 rating **

Snowboarding: We would like to say this game is, like, totally rad dude. But we've no idea how to retain control.
P45 rating: ***

PUB SPORTS

English Pub Pool
Cracking physics, plenty of options so you can keep the rules exactly as you have them when at the pub, and includes the tear-inducing moment as you realise you've accidentally knocked in the black. All that, and opponents with low rent names.
P45 rating ****

Let's Play Darts: Mark Ingle suggests this little beauty from Holland. "The best bit (other than hitting multiple 180s) is the sound effects, delivered by a genuine dart scorer legend," says Mark. There's also a daily Top 100 score board. Our best? 22.2sec. Oh yeah.
P45 rating: ****

Lightning Break: Easy controls, simple objectives, endlessly entertaining.
P45 rating: ****

First2zero virtual darts: Pick an overweight, cartoon dartsmith and toss your 'arras at the treble 20, simple. The only game that involves less effort than real darts.
P45 rating: ***

Blast Billiards: Ian Gale calls this "a fiendishly addictive way to waste an hour or three at work." Even though we're shamefully useless at this game, we're inclined to agree. And they've added side spin options in the later versions, for anyone who just needs more control
P45 rating: *****

AMERICAN SPORTS

Candystand Baseball: Takes a few innings to get used to the controls, particularly when you are the fielding team. But it's worth the 10 minutes of head-scratching and running in the wrong direction when you do get the hang of it. Surprisingly representative, very playable, and includes some nice details, such as the pitcher mocking you when you swing and miss. Goodbye Mr Spalding and other such hackneyed phrases.
P45 rating: ****

Three point shootout: Another in the 'simple but addictive' category. Attempt three point shots from all around the basketball court with nothing more than a swish of your mouse, just like they do in the NBA's All-Star weekend. Well, kind of. It's easy to learn, but tough to master. Once you get in the zone you'll be hitting nothing but net, and inner monologuing 'LeBron from way downtown', in a rather pathetic way.
P45 rating ***

Pinch Hitter 2: Take a strange large-headed boy from hitting balls in his backyard to the major league. With hour upon hour of practice of course.
P45 rating: ***

Trick hoops challenge: This one is all about showing off with the most outrageous attempts at the basket, if you can get it in off the wall you are far better than us.
P45 rating: ***

Baseball: Badda-badda…..Shwiiiiiiiiiiiing…..badda-badda. It's the bottom of the ninth, you need two runs for victory and there's a gum-chewing schmuck on the pitching mound with some curve-balls up his sleeve. Swing for the sweet-spot.
P45 Rating ****

HORSES AND DOGS

Steeplechase Challenge: There's something deeply retro about this one. The secret is in judicious use of the whip and perfect timing in the jump.
P45 rating *** (***** if your betting syndicate is rumbled)

Greyhound Racer Rampage: Greyhound training crossed with Guitar Hero doesn't sound the most thrilling combination, but the pride we felt when our dog - Carl - finally crossed the finish line first ... well, it was emotional, put it that way. Quirky, clever and made with a bit of love.
P45 rating ***

MOTOR SPORTS

Stick Rally X: Despite the name, this very playable top-down rally romp is about as un-'sticky' as they get. Like a more sober version of Micro Machines, you get to whizz around various dirt tracks, unlocking new circuits and cars along the way. Want to go faster? Then hit that nitro boost button, baby!
P45 rating: ***

Stunt Dirt Bike: A mix of impressive acceleration and chronic problems with staying vertical make this the Didier Drogba of internet sports games. Much more popular around the office though.
P45 rating: ****

Drag Racing: Sadly, no 15st blokes hotfooting it on heels here. But sneaking a win on the line in a Honda Civic is enjoyment enough.
P45 rating: ***

OLD SCHOOL
Sidering knockout: A old style beat 'em up with energy bars and combo moves. Take your humble slugger up through ranks and finally earn a title fight.
P45 rating: ***

Denise Lewis Heptathlon: While it is not the most covert operation (bashing the B and N keys for all your worth) and is likely to cause debilitating finger cramps, this old style arcade game is maddeningly addictive.
P45: *****

3-D Pong: Just when you thought pong couldn't get any better, they go and make it 3D. So hard you will inevitably spend hours of company time playing it.
P45 rating: ****

ATHLETICS

Olympix Summer Games: Suffering from Beijing withdrawal symptoms? Well, fear not. Here you can try your hand at the 100m, the 110m hurdles, the javelin and the long jump. It's pretty straightforward, rather addictive, suitable time-consuming and you can't fare any worse than GB's track and field athletes.
P45 rating: **

QWOP Athletics: From the people who brought you Little Master cricket, here's a game in which you control an athletes calves and thighs. Anyone who can do more than spasm and fall over deserves some sort of prize.
P45 rating: **

Janey Thomson's marathon: This is a finger-clicking nightmare of a game that is likely to reduce your life expectancy. It was removed from arcades after its release in 1984 because kids found it too tiring. You have been warned ...
P45 rating **

WATER SPORTS

Kayak King: "Bad title pun aside, this canoe game is pretty damn addictive," says Jack Iles. We enjoyed the first level. Then found it infuriatingly difficult.
P45 rating: **

CYCLING

King of the Road: This finger-bashing effort tries to recreate the Tour de France. Its replete with photographers and dogs to halt your progress and is reminiscent of Daley Thompson's Decathlon.
P45 rating ****

MISCELLANEOUS

OK, so these are not strictly sports. But they should be.

Ball Blitz: Use your balls to knock the other guys balls out of the ring. It's life in flash game format.
P45 rating: ***

Crash Test Dummy Olympics: There's not much to these events, but getting them right is infuriatingly tough. A guaranteed time-waster.
P45 rating: ***

Escapa: This has got office tournament written all over it. You are a red square trying to escape the accelerating wrath of some blue squares. Get anywhere near 20 and you're doing well. 19.966 since you ask.
P45 rating: ***

Yeti Sports: All the Pingu smacking fun you can handle, on one site. Repetitive, but strangely pleasurable.
P45 rating: ***

Home Run: Admittedly, this isn't strictly a sports game but it can technically be shoehorned into the Pub Sports category. Stop yourself from keeling over as you stagger home after a beer too many. Mindlessly simple and therefore highly amusing. Bet you can't beat 200m.
P45 rating: ***

Starring: A quick thinking keeper, referees getting shoved, and a shoot-out dilemma

Click to enlarge, and debate the strip below the line. Keith Hackett's official answers appear in Sunday's Observer and here from Monday.

Keith Hackett's answers

1) This is one incident with two offences: handball and encroachment. First punish the most serious, which is handball - award a direct free kick where the handball took place. Then, show the player a yellow card for encroachment (failing to respect the required distance). You wouldn't show two yellow cards (one for deliberate handball, one for encroachment) because this is all one incident, not two. Thanks to Donal O'Brien for the question.
2) No. This is a tough one: you should never have been in the way – a good referee will always try to position himself so that he avoids physical contact with players - but the player has roughly shoved you: an act of violent conduct. So you have no choice: disallow the goal and send him off. Restart with an indirect free kick from where you were pushed. Peter Winlow wins the shirt for this question.
3) During a shoot-out, the only player who can be substituted (assuming the team have substitutions remaining) is the goalkeeper. Outfield players who are injured or sent off are not replaced. So in this situation, if the two players fail to take their kicks, their penalties are recorded as misses, while the opposition continue with the shoot-out. If the opposition don't score either of these two kicks (and thus win the sudden death shoot-out), then the kicks continue, and players can take their second penalties in any order. Thanks to Johannah Carroll.

Competition: win an official club shirt of your choice

For a chance to win a club shirt from the range at Kitbag.com send us your questions for You are the Ref to you.are.the.ref@observer.co.uk. The best scenario used in the new Observer YATR strip each Sunday wins a shirt of your choice from Kitbag. Terms & conditions apply.

For more on the fifty year history of You Are The Ref, click here.

This article has been amended after its initial publication. The original version was launched with the wrong question on the second picture. Apologies to all those who had already submitted answers

• Former captain says Roger Draper 'should walk'
• Lloyd insists Andy Murray should have played against Lithuania

The former Davis Cup captain David Lloyd has called on the Lawn Tennis Association chief executive, Roger Draper, to resign following Britain's 3-2 defeat to Lithuania in the competition.

Lloyd, whose brother John is the British team's current captain, told the BBC that Draper has failed to produce home-grown talent.

"Where are the male players that the LTA has actually produced? Zero. That's the bottom line," he said. "How do you keep your job if you are failing? I think Roger should walk. I don't see it getting better."

Britain's Davis Cup team, without the world No4 Andy Murray, lost to a Lithuania team composed entirely of teenagers. When Murray, backed by Draper, announced in January that he would concentrate instead on preparing for the season's first Masters Series event in Indian Wells, he joked: "It's not like if I don't play we will lose." Now Britain must beat Turkey in a play-off in July if they are to avoid relegation into the bottom tier of the competition.

"Roger is wrong endorsing the fact that Andy shouldn't have played. That was a bad call," continued Lloyd. "I would try and encourage him to play and give something back to the game. I would ask him to play against Turkey. We want him to help our young kids. We all owe something to the game."

Draper was appointed as chief executive of the LTA in 2006 after modernising Sport England, but his hiring of the high-profile coach Brad Gilbert failed to galvanise the men's game. The American stepped down from his coaching role with Murray after just 16 months and ended his association with the LTA altogether when his contract expired in September 2008.

Lloyd was part of the last Great Britain team to reach the Davis Cup final in 1978, playing doubles with Mark Cox as the US won 4-1 California. He later founded the chain of sports and leisure clubs that bear his name.

• Three in court over collapse of ticket agent
• Rebecca Adlington's parents among those out of pocket

The Serious Fraud Office will be at the high court today to hear a civil judgment in the case of Rebecca Adlington's missing Olympic tickets. After paying £1,100 to Xclusive, a secondary ticket agent, the double gold medallist's parents were among hundreds who complained at the company's failure to supply the tickets. A month after the Olympics ended the company went bust with debts of more than £3.1m. Upon realising its assets tthe liquidators were unable to produce more than £7.58 for creditors.

That prompted the civil action by Wirecard, a payment systems company, which reimbursed credit cards belonging to Xclusive's customers under its own terms and conditions. But with no funds available in the liquidated company, Wirecard has sought to convince the court that the defendants – the directors Alan Scott and Geert van Meel and Terence Shepherd, who though a disqualified director is alleged to have controlled Xclusive – should be made personally liable for its losses.

The SFO is also now involved, charging the three as well as two other men and a woman on various counts of fraud over Xclusive companies' trade in tickets and hospitality packages for the Beijing Games and for UK football matches.

The SFO will watch closely today as Mr Justice Tugendhat delivers his judgment as to whether the activities of three of its suspects in the build-up to Beijing constituted fraud. The three defendants' legal team was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Pompey's FA Cup upset

Munto start mudslinging

After the mire, the mudslinging: Notts County's former owner, Munto Finance, has now turned on the club's former executive chairman, Peter Trembling. In a statement released to BBC Radio Nottingham this week, Munto is attempting to rehabilitate its reputation with claims that Trembling was entirely at fault for the financial turmoil that led to the club running up more than £6m of debt. "Munto never wavered from its original statement and commitment to achieve Championship status within five years," it said, without explaining how to reconcile this with the financial figures since uncovered by the new owner, Ray Trew. Trembling termed the statement "ridiculous", which is one way of describing the involvement of Peter and Nathan Willett and Russell King at Meadow Lane.

Chucks away

England 2018's top brass are on the move again, flying out to Newark for a meeting with Fifa's American executive-committee member, Chuck Blazer. The bid's chairman and chief executive, Lord Triesman and Andy Anson, its international president, David Dein, and Jane Bateman, the director of campaign operations, all headed out to meet Blazer yesterday. Blazer is himself a bit of a football explorer. His blog, Travels With Chuck Blazer, is a fascinating resource carrying photographs of Chuck and his wife Mary Lynn with such global dignitaries as the Pope, Nelson Mandela and, er, David Gill.

• Out-of-favour stand-off set for season-long deal
• Cooke to be reunited with former coach John Kear

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are closing in on a season-long loan move for the out-of-favour Hull Kingston Rovers stand-off Paul Cooke. The two clubs are in talks over the proposed deal, which would reunite Cooke with his former Hull FC coach John Kear.

Reports have suggested that Cooke, who has been left out of Rovers' last two matches, has agreed to the deal, but it is understood that the terms of the move have not yet been finalised between the clubs. One issue could be the Super League match between the two at Craven Park on Friday, which would present Cooke with an immediate return to Rovers if he were permitted to play by his current employers.

The 28-year-old made a controversial cross-city move from Hull FC to Hull KR in April 2007, a switch that eventually cost him a six-month ban when the Rugby Football League found him guilty of approaching Rovers while still under contract at the KC Stadium.

He was a key figure of the Robins side that finished fourth last season, but has fallen out of favour this year, and was omitted from the recent wins against Castleford and St Helens in favour of the promising youngster Chaz I'Anson. Cooke has one year remaining on his Rovers contract and was briefly linked with a move to Welsh club the Crusaders earlier this season.

Richard Silverwood, the referee at the centre of controversy during the recent World Club Challenge between Leeds and Melbourne Storm, will take charge of the Rhinos' Super League match at Huddersfield Giants on Sunday. The Leeds centre Keith Senior labelled Silverwood "arrogant" in the immediate aftermath of the game before later apologising for his comments, but will still face an RFL investigation over the matter.

• Hatton allegedly told friends he was unsure about a return
• Amir Khan to face Paulie Malignaggi in May

Ricky Hatton's comeback is looking as solid as the four stones of extra weight he has piled on since Manny Pacquiao knocked him out in two rounds in Las Vegas 10 months ago. Even his father does not know if he will ever fight again.

The bookmakers William Hill suspended betting on the fighter returning to the ring after rumours spread that Hatton told friends while on a drinking binge in Tenerife at the weekend that he was unsure about fighting again.

Hatton's camp yesterday issued a firm denial, and friends claim he went back into the gym for three days last week with the intention of stepping up his work in preparation for a fight in the summer against an opponent yet to be named.

However, his father and manager, Ray said: "I'm the same as everyone else. I thought he was on his way back. He's been ticking over in the gym, so I'm perplexed. I think now the team wants him to make a decision and then we'll have a press conference to announce it."

But Hatton went to ground when he returned to Manchester from Tenerife on Monday night and was not contactable yesterday. He has refused all counsel about curbing his drinking and eating while insiders say he is worried that he might never recover the energy and verve that made him such a force as a world champion at light-welterweight and welterweight.

His legal adviser, Gareth Williams, suggested Hatton would confirm his plans "in the cold light of day", whenever that may be. Williams had been negotiating on Hatton's behalf for several months with Juan Manuel Márquez for a non-title bout in the UK this summer, although those talks are thought to have stalled. Hatton said he would also welcome a fight in Manchester against the WBO light-welterweight champion, Amir Khan, later in the year.

While Hatton's career is in limbo, Khan is moving ahead with plans for his American debut. He will address the media in London on Friday alongside the New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi, who will challenge him for his title at Madison Square Garden on 15 May, and Oscar De La Hoya, his American promotional partner.

Richard Schaefer, who has been representing Márquez on behalf of Golden Boy Promotions, last night held the door open for Hatton. We need to see what Hatton is going to do in the coming weeks," he said. "There are reports one day he's going to retire, then other days he's going to fight. I think we need to see how this would shake out. Márquez made it clear he'd like to fight Hatton. They were interested as well."

Hatton, who revels in the name "Ricky Fatton", has expanded in more ways than one since the Pacquiao defeat, socialising heartily on the after-dinner circuit where he earns up to £7,000 for his self‑deprecating comic turn. Even as his weight soared towards 14st, he did not surrender his boxer's licence.

The knockout loss to Pacquiao – who defends his welterweight title in Texas on Saturday against the Ghanaian Joshua Clottey – was so shocking that several of Hatton's inner circle, notably his partner Jennifer, urged him to retire. He was knocked cold, spent the night in hospital and for several months was in two minds about fighting on.

Before Christmas he announced he had to get rid of "the itch" and would pursue a fight against a top-10 opponent. He took a break with Jennifer in Australia over the New Year, stopping in Melbourne to see Andy Murray's progress in the Australian Open and telling the tennis player he was about to resume serious training.

That did not materialise to any noticeable effect and people close to him began to wonder if he was milking the continued speculation about his future to attract publicity for his promotional activities.

Audley Harrison's hopes of revitalising his career took a blow yesterday when the Polish heavyweight Albert Sosnowski withdrew from their fight for the vacant European title on 9 April to challenge Wladimir Klitschko for the WBC title in Gelsenkirchen on 29 May. Harrison is looking for a new opponent.

• German aims to 'play a role' in race to title
• Warns not to expect Mercedes to start season in style

Michael Schumacher is ready to scrap his way to this year's Formula One world title, insisting that his Mercedes team is good enough to "play a role" in the chase for the championship.

The most successful driver in the history of the sport is poised to make his comeback this weekend after nearly three-and-a-half years away. He has so far delivered mixed messages on whether he feels the Mercedes he will be driving this year is good enough for race wins, starting in Bahrain on Sunday.

But the 41-year-old German says he is adamant he is prepared to battle his way to glory again and add to his seven world championships. Asked if he was ready to fight for the title, Schumacher replied: "Absolutely, yes. This is what I am here for.

"I am confident we can play a role in this fight. Our entire team is extremely motivated, as am I. The guys won both titles last year [as Brawn GP], and now with Mercedes on board they want to repeat this success.

"The season will be long and hard, no doubt about that, but I love this fight. It is because of this fight that I came back to Formula One."

Schumacher also dismissed suggestions that people have put unfair pressure on him by expecting him to compete for the title. "I said it quite clear from the beginning, we do not have to - and probably will not – be in a position to win right from the start," he said on his personal website. "It is important to be close and then use the long season to be at the top at the end. It is not the start which is important – it is the finish."

• Trainer dismisses form fears ahead of Cheltenham
• Baby Run and Imperial Commander fancied for Festival

Nigel Twiston-Davies said that his string could not be in better form ahead of the Cheltenham Festival next week, despite having failed to register a winner from 23 runners since Razor Royale's success in the Racing Post Chase.

"I noticed that I've crept on to the 'cold' list in the Racing Post," Twiston-Davies said, "but what that doesn't take into account is all the horses that are [placed]. They are running well, but you're not going to run your best horses in the week before Cheltenham. The best ones are at home and dying to run."

Among the trainer's team for the Festival are Khyber Kim, prominent in the betting for the Champion Hurdle, and Imperial Commander, an obvious each-way bet for any punters looking beyond Kauto Star and Denman in the Gold Cup. There could also be a significant moment for the Twiston-Davies clan in the Foxhunters' Chase, in which his son Sam will ride the stable's runner Baby Run.

Khyber Kim has not been out since winning the Boylesports International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, but remains a single-figure price for the Champion and his trainer suspects that if punters had longer memories, he might be closer yet to the favourite.

"Khyber Kim must have a serious chance," Twiston-Davies said. "I think both he and Imperial Commander do, for that matter, but you'd have to be quite a brave man to say that he will beat Kauto Star, whereas I can't see what would beat Khyber Kim at the moment on his best form. I think he has been forgotten about a little, but that doesn't matter, not to me anyway. I don't think he needs the ground soft either. He ran probably his best race of the season when he murdered them in the Greatwood [at Cheltenham in November], and it wasn't that soft then."

Imperial Commander has not raced since finishing fifth to Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, having previously been beaten by a nose by the same opponent in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

"Imperial Commander made a horrific mistake at the second fence [in the King George] and that was what put him out of the race," Twiston-Davies said. "In the end, he ran really well under the circumstances and he couldn't have got any closer to Kauto Star the time before.

"Kauto Star looks head and shoulders above the rest of them, but he's been at the top a long time and maybe he'll start to feel the effects this year. I was disappointed with Denman's performance [when falling at Newbury] last time."

Whatever happens in the main championship events, the Foxhunters' will be waiting on the final afternoon, when the second favourite Baby Run will try to improve on third place last year.

"I hope he's a better horse this year," Twiston-Davies said. "It was quite a rush to get him there last time, and I think he deserves to be favourite. I was over the moon when he was third last year, so to win would be very special."

The late and lauded commentator is the ghost of Calcutta Cups past and future

The friendly ghost so fondly whisping around the rafters of every stadium through all the Six Nations matches so far has been, of course, that of Bill McLaren, the BBC's late and lauded rugby commentator who died at 86 just weeks before the 2010 tournament began. Remembrance of Bill will be particularly potent on Saturday: the Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England was always the good old boy's beloved annual feast day.

The McLaren eulogies are launched tomorrow with a tribute evening at Murrayfield itself where a male voice choir and the inevitable pipe-band do the honours alongside such luminaries as Chris Paterson and the British Lions manager Gerald Davies in celebrating the life of the broadcasting legend.

No man can have witnessed more Calcutta matches, home or away. If truth be told, the worrypot perfectionist in McLaren had him increasingly het-up in the week of any international match. A sure way to calm him was to evoke his recall for distant Calcutta Cup contests. The more faraway in the mists, the warmer the memory for Bill.

Bill's father was the rugby-mad manager of the Braemar Knitwear factory in Hawick. Local heroes were Willie Welsh and Jock Beattie, stalwarts of Scotland's barnstorming pack of the early 1930s. Bill was seven when he was taken to Murrayfield to see the two bonny boys help Scotland clock up the then highest score against England (28-19) in 1931. By 1938 at 14, Bill was down with half the town at Twickenham – £6 overnight railway excursion – for a famous Scottish victory (21-16) which was, with symbolic aptness for the boy, the first rugby match ever covered live by television – and the following Monday's News Chronicle gurgled in wonder at the writer being "mesmerised by the tele‑visual picture‑quality which actually enabled watchers at home to see so clearly the lines of the groundsman's mowing machine on the pitch".

Deep down, I know McLaren was none too generous about the development since then of rugby's broadcasting. His first live radio commentary was in 1953, his first for television in 1960. Just him and (sometimes) an inter-round summariser: no waffle, no flummery, no swank. Transmission began precisely a minute before kick-off and at half‑time teams would simply change ends while sucking a slice of lemon – certainly no box full of pontificating ex-player "experts" taking it in turns to be complacently banal or turgidly simplistic. In production terms much recent BBC rugby presentation has, I'm afraid, been an unmitigated, unrewarding mess.

Something special brewing for Murrayfield this weekend? History shows the inaugural Calcutta Cup match of any decade comes up with surprising goods one way or the other. I reported first for these pages from Murrayfield in 1970 and we had our big story (oh, innocence!) with Alistair Biggar joyously dapping down for Scotland's winning – and all-time one-hundredth – championship try.

Ten years on and up with England again. I was (almost) of an age with that imperishable England XV of 1980. I toured with them: they were friends: most of them read the Guardian. On the morning of the game England's captain and vice, Bill Beaumont and Roger Uttley, went down Princes Street to buy for a couple of pounds a celebration tankard for Tony Neary, who that day was breaking the all-time English record (you've got to believe it) with 43 caps – and two of us journos went as well and bought "Nero" a pair of cufflinks from us writers. Then England went out and played like gods, five tries and a 30‑point record and their first Grand Slam in yonks.

The turn of the next decade saw Scotland's historic 1990 victory by 13-7 – the decisive try by Hawick's Tony Stanger, coached as a primary schoolboy by McLaren himself. You couldn't tell from the commentary. "It was a day for ever to be engraved in the minds of any Scot", said Bill in his reverie. Tom English this month published his 260-page book The Grudge (£12.99) to commemorate the golden day. True tales: great stuff. Then followed, as usual, a decade of dire defeats for Scotland – till 2000 and the new millennium at Murrayfield, where an operatic thunderstorm unforgettably helped them swamp the English strutters. Next morning, strolling up Princes Street nursing a morning-after head I came across old Bill, his rheumy eyes glistening as he enjoyed the score on a bold, bonny newspaper billboard which decorated the pavement: "BATTLERS 19, BOTTLERS 13".

Omens, omens. Ten years on and another Calcutta Cup decade sets forth at Murrayfield.

Plus: Team-mates and sworn enemies (2); who's going to fill Rochdale's boots?; and England's Toulon team of 1990. Send your questions and answers to knowledge@guardian.co.uk

"Have any football matches been captured on Google Earth?" wondered Roderick Stewart last week. "Who won?"

Google's roving helicopter/spy satellite/gigantic flaming all-seeing eye must have been hovering over Bristol on a Saturday afternoon in April 2007. Zooming in over Ashton Gate reveals Gary Johnson's side taking on a side decked out in green. "City seem to be mid-game and apparently on the attack down the left wing," writes Graham Sutton. "According to Google Earth, this was on 14 April 2007, which makes it a 2-0 home win over Yeovil in their promotion-winning season."

Up the road at Durdham Down a dozen or so games – quite possibly from the Bristol Downs league of previous Knowledge fame – can be seen being played concurrently, points out Rob Little:

Unfortunately we're unable to ascertain those playing and the scores, though from the wear-and-tear in the central areas of the pitch, it's fair to suggest things get a bit messy in the winter, a fact that might have contributed to this slightly wonkily redrawn centre-circle:

"This match which is more than likely Hallam FC of the Northern Counties East (the world's second oldest club) playing at Sandygate (the world's oldest football ground)," writes Tom Carter:

And David Ellis has spotted a game going on by the banks of the Thames:

"This shows the mighty Ibis FC of the Southern Amateur League way back in May 2007," writes David. "The game finished 2-2 as I recall. If you zoom out you can also take in the games of Old Meadonians, and north and across the train tracks there are several Civil Service games going ahead."

Meanwhile in the shadow of Alexandra Palace:

"Alexandra Palace are in the tangerine shirts," writes David Lea. "Possibly the 3rd or 4th XI. Not much of a crowd, I'll grant you."

TEAM-MATES AND SWORN ENEMIES (2)

Last week we had a first look at team-mates who didn't see eye-to-eye off the field. The Knowledge inbox has swelled with further tales of dressing-room disharmony.

Dean Johnson suggests Kenny Burns and Trevor Francis at Birmingham. The pair had squared up after Burns had caught Francis with a training-ground tackle – "Trevor didn't like it, and he stood up to me. So I just gave him a little tap ... you know, a butt ... Trevor went off in a hump" – though Burns has since played down their feud in his autobiography. "We moved in different circles," he wrote. "We just didn't drink in the same places. I'd go down the social club, play a couple of frames of snooker and have a couple of bets, whatever, he would possibly drink in a wine bar. He had his own friends at Forest as well [Later in his career Francis had followed Burns to the City Ground]. Obviously a lot was made out of things between us, but it wasn't as bad as everyone said."

In 1982 Jean-François Larios was kicked out of France's World Cup squad amid rumours he had been having an affair with Michel Platini's wife. The pair, though, were never sworn enemies as team-mates – they had played together for St Etienne but Platini left that summer for Juventus and Larios never played for France again.

Dave Langlois writes to suggest that Santiago Cañizares and defender Miroslav Djukic "hated each other" while at Valencia. Hate might be a bit strong, though they apparently refused to speak to one another for five years. "We do not talk," said Djukic in November 2000. El País, via a slightly unhelpful online translation, reveals: "Until now it was an open secret that the two Valencia players had not just treatment, that the estrangement was due to fights on the pitch."

When the colossal egos of Edmundo and Romário met at Vasco de Gama in 1999 fireworks were always likely – though they had previously been friends the latter had depicted the former on the men's toilet door at his Café do Gol bar a year earlier much to Edmundo's chagrin.

Troubled brewed in 2000 when prior to a game Romário was handed the captaincy. The deposed captain – guess who – went home in a serious huff, and the pair sniped at each other thereafter, with one incident, Romário taking a penalty and missing when Edmundo had expected to take it, causing the affair to flare up. Edmundo called his striker partner the "Prince" to the club president's "King". Romário, with fairly sharp wit, tagged his team-mate as "the court jester". The turbulent relationship ended when Edmundo left for Santos in 2000.

And one of the more famous on-field bust-ups came between Charlton's Mike Flanaghan and Derek Hales in an FA Cup tie against Maidstone United, then of the Southern League, in January 1979. With five minutes to go the scores were level. Hales made a run towards goal, Flanagan, the ball at his feet, delayed the pass and by the time Hales had received the ball he had been caught offside.

"Words were exchanged between Hales and Flanagan about the fact that he hadn't passed earlier and the two moved towards each other," writes Keith Peacock, a team-mate of Hales and Flanagan, in his autobiography. "They went head to head and Hales threw the first punch. He wasn't the kind of guy to see what the other fellow would do. Blows were exchanged." But the incident had merely brought to a head something that had been bubbling under the surface beforehand. "It was a bit more than that," said Hales, without elaborating, in 2005. "The manager should have sorted it out beforehand."

Hales was sacked and then reinstated. Flanaghan was fined then handed in a transfer request. "I was seen as the nasty one," admitted Hales. "But it takes two to tango."

Plenty more of this next week, but keep them coming to the usual address.

ROCHDALE'S SUCCESSORS?

"With Rochdale on the verge of promotion, their record of being in the same division for 35 years looks like ending," writes Phil Rhodes, poking fate with a big pointy stick. "We all need to know who outside the Premier League will have been in the same division the longest if Dale get promoted. A list of the five teams who follow Rochdale in the current list may make for interesting reading and also show how fluid the Football League is."

Indeed Rochdale have been neither promoted nor relegated since 1973-74 and with their League Two rivals currently indistinct dots in the Spotland rear-view mirror, their 36-year drought may be about to come to an end. But who will replace them as the Football League's most entrenched club?

Darlington, who have been bobbling along in the basement since 1992, are on an 18-season stretch in the same division. The Shakers could well drop into the Blue Square Premier at the end of this season, at which point their title would be taken by Oldham, who have been in the third tier for 13 seasons. The top five, we reckon, looks something like this:

Darlington 18-season run (relegated 1991-92)

Oldham 13-season run (relegated 1996-97)

Lincoln 11-season run (relegated 1998-99)

Preston 10-season run (promoted 1999-2000)

Tranmere 9-season run (relegated 2000-01)

KNOWLEDGE ARCHIVE

This month the Knowledge celebrates its 10th birthday and in honour of that fact we'll be delving into the column's very earliest days for our archive slot this month. Here's a question from the second ever Knowledge, as penned by Sean Ingle and Paul MacInnes back in April 2000:

"Please could you name the England U-21 team that played in the Toulon tournament in 1990?" asks Richard Glover

In 1990 England's U-21 squad won the eight-nation tournament in Toulon for the first time with the following squad:

Crossley, Muggleton, Lee, Sharpe, Le Saux, Barrett, Tiler, Sherwood, James, Ebbrell (capt), Blake, Matthew, Thomas, Stuart, Slater, Olney, Robins.

Shortly afterwards the full England side reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, and many thought this U-21 team would make up the nucleus of England's 1994 World Cup side.

Things didn't quite turn out as forecast, although some players did go on to become full England internationals (notably Le Saux, Sharpe and Sherwood), and one (Crossley) bizarrely played for Wales. Sadly, most of the exalted class of 1990 have become journeyman club players, plying their trade in the lower leagues.

Can you help?

"In light of the imminent cinematic release of the movie The Men Who Stare at Goats (imminent in Australia anyway) and its depiction of the US military attempting to harness psychic abilities, I was wondering if there has there ever been a football manager (or players) that has attempted to do the same; and if so were there any reports of this being a success?" writes Tim Grey.

"Noel Bailie, of Linfield in Northern Ireland, had recently played his 990th game (all for one club) and looks set to achieve 1,000 by the end of the season," writes Keith Minnis. "I think I'm right in saying both Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence have achieved this. However, Noel Bailie is a centre-half, what other professional outfield players, if any, have achieved 1,000 appearances?"

"Plenty of teams have a City or Town suffix, but is a there a Village? And if so, what's the highest level they've played at?" ponders Philip Genochio.

Send your questions and answers to knowledge@guardian.co.uk

Today's questions trust no one ...

The winger's £21m move from City to Chelsea in 2005 involved the use of an unlicensed agent, a tribunal has found

The Football Association is examining whether there are grounds for charging both Shaun Wright-Phillips and Chelsea with using an unlicensed agent, Mitchell Thomas, when Wright-Phillips moved to Chelsea from Manchester City in July 2005. The FA investigation follows the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings by the Law Society against a solicitor, Timothy Drukker, who signed off the deal once the details had been agreed. Drukker told the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that Chelsea had paid him the agent's fee, believed to be £1.2m, after Wright-Phillips £21m move was concluded, and that he handed part of it over to Thomas.

The FA referred Drukker's involvement in the deal to the Law Society in partnership with Quest, the investigations company which examined all Premier League transfers between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2006. At the conclusion of that so-called "bungs" inquiry in June 2007, 16 deals were highlighted for further examination by the FA together with another in which the player and clubs involved were not named because "another regulatory authority" was stated to be investigating. That 17th deal can now be revealed as Wright‑Phillips's move to Chelsea, and it was left unidentified because of the ongoing proceedings against Drukker by the Law Society.

The case was finally concluded in January by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which found Drukker guilty of "conduct unbecoming of a solicitor" for the way in which he acted, and fined him £15,000. Only Fifa-licensed agents or qualified solicitors are entitled to act in any way on football transfers, a system the FA guards resolutely because it gives the governing body oversight on all deals and where the money goes. The tribunal found that Drukker had signed the necessary documents to the FA, stating he was exempt from having to hold an agent's licence because he is a solicitor, but that in fact he did not act as a solicitor for Wright-Phillips.

It found that Drukker had not acted dishonestly, but said it was "a very serious matter" because Drukker's actions "had resulted in the undermining of the Fifa regulations in force at the time."

An FA spokesman said this week: "We are aware of the outcome of these proceedings and are now considering what action, if any, may be appropriate in relation to football rules."

That consideration will include the examination by the FA of how far Thomas was involved in the deal. The former Spurs and Luton Town defender is not a licensed football agent, and the FA will be looking into whether he in fact did substantial work on Wright-Phillips's move, then Drukker was brought in at the end to sign off the paperwork, a practice known as "fronting".

The FA has the discretion to impose penalties against players and clubs for breaches of the agency rules, ranging from issuing a warning for minor infringements to fines, or points deductions in the most severe cases. By definition, the governing body has no authority over the unlicensed agent himself.

Quest became keenly interested in the Wright-Phillips transfer when their investigators saw the size of the fee, £1.2m, being paid by Chelsea to Drukker, a solicitor not known for acting on behalf of footballers. They interviewed Chelsea's chairman, Bruce Buck, in November 2006, and Wright-Phillips in February 2007. Quest wrote to Drukker asking him to explain his role, to which, the tribunal found: "He made misleading and inaccurate responses."

Quest then, jointly with the FA, complained to the Law Society, which instituted tribunal proceedings against Drukker in December 2008. The tribunal reached its decision in January, fining him, but accepting his argument that he had not acted dishonestly and had misinterpreted Fifa's agents regulations.

Drukker told the tribunal how he became involved in the move which took Wright-Phillips, 23 at the time, to Roman Abramovich's Chelsea for a £21m fee paid to a then cash-strapped Manchester City.

In early 2004, Drukker said: "He had been approached by persons close to Shaun Wright-Phillips and asked whether he could act as SWP's agent should a transfer opportunity emerge."

He agreed, but did not hear anything further until July 2005. "He had been told that the details of the transfer had been agreed," the tribunal judgment states, "and he was asked to act as agent."

Wright-Phillips signed the deal on 17 July 2005 and, the judgment notes, Drukker signed a contract with Chelsea to act as an agent that same day. He sent an invoice to Chelsea a day later, with Chelsea paying him a fee understood to have been about £1.2m. Drukker told the tribunal that he had not kept any of it. "He stressed that he had not intended to retain nor had he retained any of the fee."

In fact, it is understood, Drukker told the tribunal he had paid the money to other people, including Mitchell Thomas.

The FA has become increasingly determined in recent years to clamp down on activity by unlicensed agents, who have not passed the required exams and do not have the necessary insurance. Clubs and players are now absolutely forbidden from dealing with unlicensed agents for any part of a deal, a rule drawn so tightly as to effectively prohibit anybody who does not have a licence or is not a qualified solicitor becoming involved even in preliminary inquiries.

In July 2008 the FA wrote to all professional clubs with a list of people it believed were involved in transfer activity without holding a licence and warned clubs against dealing with them.

Both Chelsea and Wright-Phillips, speaking through his current representative, denied that they had had any dealings with Thomas over the transfer. Wright-Phillips confirmed that he had been interviewed by Quest, but believed that the deal had been cleared. The player, back at Manchester City since August 2008, argued that Drukker conducted the negotiations for the transfer.

Drukker, in a statement to the Guardian, said the same: "As I was solely responsible for negotiating the financial terms of that transfer I do not see how any charges would arise."

He was not prepared to comment on the tribunal finding or on the size of the fee, nor discuss whether Thomas had any involvement in the deal. Thomas did not return calls to discuss the Wright-Phillips move.

The revelation that this was the 17th deal referred to the FA by Quest comes just days after Fifa stated that it will be taking no action on the 14 transfers the FA referred to the world governing body for investigation because they involved deals with overseas clubs. Wright-Phillips' move to Chelsea was the only one of the 17 which concerned an English player moving between two English clubs and so remained within the FA's jurisdiction. Now that the Law Society has concluded its disciplining of the solicitor who signed off the £21m deal, and passed on his £1.2m fee in part to Mitchell Thomas, the FA will hope that almost three years on, Quest's inquiry may finally produce one concrete result.

The 17th deal

The Football Association's renewal of inquiries into the 2005 Shaun Wright-Phillips transfer is evidence that the governing body has been pursuing the 17 cases passed to it by Quest in June 2007.

The involvement of the Law Society and the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal which concluded only in January also explains why investigations can seem to take so long. The FA decided it had to wait for those proceedings to finish before it could pursue the issues itself.

The 17 cases referred to the FA by Quest were labelled by one FA source at the time "a hospital pass" because they were bound to be difficult and followed an inquiry commissioned by the Premier League, not the FA. However, the FA did make significant inquiries, and went through the details intensively with agents including Pini Zahavi, Barry Silkman, Mike Morris and Jamie Hart.

The FA decided that one case merited advice being given to the parties, and one required no action. Fourteen cases were referred to Fifa, but last week the world governing body said it was taking no action in any of them because too much time had passed since the deals took place. The Wright-Phillips deal is now the only one remaining.

"The FA undertook extensive work in relation to these matters and received full co-operation from the vast majority of the parties involved, including a number of agents. It is significant that we are now in a position to provide some closure to those involved."

Yes, there was a robbery – but I saw something even more alarming . . .

You may have read about last week's Berlin EPT tournament being raided by thieves. Disaster was averted: nobody was seriously injured, the klutzy robbers lost half their loot in the doorway, the tournament continued and full prize money was paid to the winners.

I reckon there was a player on Day 2 who suffered a worse day's poker than anyone who played on Day 3 when the robbers came in.

This unlucky fellow arrived late and missed two hands. Unfortunately, the button had been drawn just behind him so he paid both hefty blinds (600/1,200) in his absence.

He turned up in time for the third hand of the day, in which tennis star Boris Becker moved all in with KT. Our late arrival called with AJ. A king hit on the turn. Becker was low on chips, as the play suggests, but it was still costly. Our man had turned up two hands too late and one hand too early at the same time.

Next hand, fourth of the day: the late arrival makes it 3,000 from his remaining stack of 25K. He has a pair of nines. An opponent reraises to 10,000. "All in," declares our hero, and gets called. Oh dear. He's up against a pair of queens. No improvement on the flop, and he's out. Bang bang in four hands, two of which he didn't even see.

Would he have played the nines like that, were it not for the missed blinds and the lost pot? I wouldn't. With that stack, I would pass for the reraise – or limp in at the outset to see what developed. I suspect he was on tilt, in a dangerous hurry to recover lost chips. In fact, this all happened five days ago and I'd bet that guy is still on tilt now.

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